Chapter 3
Day 3 -
I woke up a few times last night, it wasn't so much the sunburn that disturbed my sleep but the memories. Almost feverish hallucinations were sparked by our closeness yesterday. The simple task of caring for each other, no questions asked, felt so vulnerable. I can't deny that the heated, bare skin and lean muscles were part of said delusion, but (inevitably) it was the closeness to him that I craved so much. The times I did wake I was reminded of just how lucky I was to be here. A subtle aura of moonlight filtered through the ceiling vent, and lie across his darkened waves, gently soaking into his skin and glowing just beneath, finding solace in his presence... as I did. I'd stretch a little, look over his calm expression and watch his chest rise and fall until I felt drowsy again, then curl back beside him before my place lost its warmth and return to the imaginings of 'us'.
We both knew today had to be a calm, shaded walk. We refused to risk getting burned... again.
Sirius was browsing online looking for practical spots while I hummed along to the playlist I'd plugged in, 'Figure You Out' by VOILA had come on and I didn't notice myself singing along until Siri piped up next to me,
"Okay my little pop-star I've found our next destination so turn the music down a little, please? I gotta hear the directions."
I could feel my face flush a little, embarrassed by getting caught totally oblivious of myself, "Where are we headed then? Are you gonna whisk me away to a little picnic date?", I joked, teasingly flirting a little. For whatever reason, I was feeling brave.
Sirius smirked, the curve of his lips flashed a glipse of his sharper canine teeth but his eyes showed something unfamiliar. He was... surprised? Did I manage to shake him a little? I was a bit smug at the idea I could have any kind of effect like that on the ever-confident, almost cocky Sirius (Goddamn) Orion Black. I turned my head back to the window as we pulled away and smiled to myself.
"Oh no Moony, far more adorable than that! It's a nice flat-terrain walk with trees and clearings and a lovely river with little bridges to make wishes from. Romantic enough for ya?" (Clearly I wasn't the only one that felt bold this morning)
"Well... I suppose that depends."
"On..?"
"Want a glass of wine and chocolate strawberries with lunch?"
He laughed, his real laugh that he did when he didn't care who was around, I love that laugh. It's better than anything, to hear him relaxed and happy.
I read somewhere that love can turn you into a creator. You want to make music for them to sing and dance to, you want to build a chair so they can relax after a long day and build a home for the two of you to live together. It's mad how one feeling for one can have so much control. I would spend years becoming a comedian and crafting jokes to hear his real laugh everyday.
We turned up at our location and soon in our walking shoes with lunches packed (and sunscreen of course) and swim shorts, since he'd mentioned the river was considered safe enough, so figured we could take a minute to cool off. With full bags, charged phones and sunglasses we set off.
Naturally, Sirius looked as great in threadbare walking clothes as he did in everything. He had a loose, faded black tee on, a red and black flannel tied around his waist and swim shorts that were a bit too long. I'm convinced he needed the flannel to secure them since they were likely too big, but he swore up and down that it was practical in case he got cold and "This flannel just really completes the look Rem, duh." - he wasn't wrong. With his battered, dusty black boots and out-of-place yellow socks he looked surprisingly put together. Hair pulled half up in a tangled black bun, since he didn't bother to brush it properly this morning, and vintage 'Maverick' sunglasses on top of his head He was undeniably beautiful. Clear bright eyes cutting through the dark outfit, lightly tanned skin and full red lips - he was... Sirius. A bright star in human form, walking among us mere mortals.
We started by going uphill, which I expressed a sincere and clear disappointment for,
"You're trying to kill me. This is it, if it wasn't suspicious enough that you're dragging me hours from home and friends and family, alone with you and into dark woods on long hikes, we have to now go UP!"
"Wimp."
"I'll turn around."
"Okay, one - you could turn around, but there's no point since you can't get into MY van since I'm the one with the keys. Two - I didn't drag you here - you planned this trip with me and James and by planned I mean you decided to join and sent ideas for where to go. Three - you love alone time with me, don't pretend Moony."
... okay he had me there.
"...UP Siri! You're making me go uphill!"
"UGH shut your whining it's not for long."
And it turns out he wasn't wrong there either, we soon noticed the trees around us thickening and the grasses and flowers getting taller. We found ourselves in a beautiful forest with winding dirt paths and the sound of rushing water very close nearby. As we headed closer to the sound of the river we saw the river a few meters down a steep slope.
I'm sure there was a safe way down to the water, a safe way to the wooden bridge we could see and a safe way to the lovely shaded river's edge. I'm sure there was, but naturally Sirius decided that way would be too boring and just started walking down this slope and tripping and falling to the river.
"Sirius! Are you crazy? You could end up rolling down at this rate!"
"Well are you gonna roll down here with me or not?"
... So we ended up at the water alive.
I set out the picnic blanket and pulled out my towel, rolling it up and using it as a pillow as I led back and started reading. I heard Siri chuckle to my left,
"What are you laughing about my étoile?"
I glanced over my book and saw him go a little pink again, I love using that nickname for him.
"You look so at peace with a book no matter where you are, even on a hike."
"No better place to read fiction off of dead trees than in a forest, right?"
He chuckled again before he unwrapped his flannel and pulled his top over his head... I tried not to stare! I really reallyyyyy did...
I failed.
He bundled up his flannel and t-shirt, threw them down on the blanket and flopped down next to me.
"What's your book about anyways?"
I glanced to my right and saw his bright, honest eyes staring straight at mine, "You're interested in what I'm reading?"
"Is that so hard to believe?"
"Allow me to answer that with my own question. When was the last time you picked up a book?"
"Hey, rude! I just wasn't born with the natural patience that you were, not my fault is it?" He smirked, attempting to compliment me and still be witty - classic Siri.
"Besides, " - he continued - "I'm curious to know what is taking my precious Moonpie's attention away from me!"
"Firstly, I know I'm patient - I put up with you and James all the time, consider yourselves lucky I can endure your shit. Secondly, nothing can be a bigger center of attention than you my dear star. The book is a dystopian novel, like 1984 I guess?"
"Tell me about it?" - once more I was met with his sincere gaze, watching me like he was waiting for me to share secrets of the fabric of the universe, not the plot of my latest written interest.
"...Sure, if you want? " - he nodded gently and I went on to explain the main characters, context, plot points and twists so far. His attention never wavered for a second, looking content as I rambled on.
After a few chapters, I felt Sirius stir beside me. He'd been relaxing in the dappled light that had managed to fall through trees and it'd been nice to exist in the same space like this. I suppose we'd always been comfortable in moments like these, with me reading and him, half-asleep, and daydreaming next to me. The ease of being around him is something I still appreciate as though it's new, I can't help but feel so content in his company. We can let the silence between us stretch on - no need to fill it with talk just to avoid awkwardness, it's a comfort I still soak up like a novelty.
He shuffled around before pulling himself up onto his elbows, stretched his neck back before turning to me. His chin tilted back, dark waves starting to fall out of the messy bun, collarbones sharp against his skin - I wanted to throw my book and kiss him. Grab his hair and trace my lips over his shoulders, straddle his lap before trailing my way up his neck, leaving a mark just behind his ear where I'd whisper everything I was going to do to him. I'd feel him writhe under me, wishing for me to give him all I'd promised and, just as his mind raced with ideas of what was going to happen, I'd slowly pull his head up to look me in the eyes and kiss him, a bruising kiss that told him how much I wanted him and wipe his mind blank of anything except that moment, that feeling of us.
"What is it Rem?" - I came back to reality and was met with Sirius' puzzled look, feeling robbed, but thankful. I have got to get a grip! Any longer in that fantasy and I'd be the creep staring at my friend's throat like a starved vampire, as it was I'm already the spacey one who can't focus on a conversation.
"Nothing! Just... thinking about a dip in the river, do you think the water's really safe? And what about our stuff, we can't just leave it lying around."
"Well, maybe we follow it downstream a little and see if we can find some rocks?"
"Rocks...?"
"Yeah! Like boulders, look around Moony, this place is littered with big, huge rocks. There must be some next to the river that we can sit all our stuff on, and if we stay this side we can try and seek the sun too - like little cold-blooded lizards!"
Sure enough, we found a flat-ish boulder to perch on. It wasn't exactly big enough to lie down and sunbathe, but it was sat on the edge of the water and had smaller rocks around it, so at the very least we wouldn't get mud and leaves on our wet feet. I pulled my t-shirt off and set my boots to one side, feeling... watched. I turned around to see Sirius staring at my back.
"Is the burn bad? I was hoping it was going down now, it doesn't sting much anymore." - He looked up at my face, seeming a little surprised - "No! Uh, no. It seems okay actually, still red but um... not too bad at all. Yeah." He stammered the sentence like it was a race to finish, I'd never heard him so... stuttery?
NOT FINISHED